Teaching device and teaching method

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a teaching device capable of performing appropriate teaching to cause each of a plurality of robots that perform the same task to perform an operation suitable for each robot when a pre-created operating program is applied to the plurality of robots. This teaching device for teaching an operation to a robot comprises: a position information storage unit that stores position information of the robot; an operation command creating unit that creates an operation command for the robot; and an additional parameter storage unit that stores a plurality of additional parameters for the operation command for the robot. The operation command creating unit creates a plurality of operation commands on the basis of the position information stored in the position information storage unit, and adds a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit to the plurality of created operation commands.

Description

Teaching device and teaching method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a teaching device and a teaching method.

[0002] Conventionally, a direct teach function is known in which an instructor (operator) holds and moves a robot to which a work tool is attached, and teaches the position and orientation of the work tool with respect to a work target (workpiece). Further, a function is known in which an operation program is created from a trajectory operated by this direct teach function and the trajectory is reproduced.

[0003] However, even for a robot operation program that reproduces a trajectory created using the direct teach function, it is difficult to directly apply the created operation program to a plurality of robots performing the same work, and position adjustment is often required for each robot to be applied. This is the same for a robot operation program created without using the direct teach function.

[0004] By the way, conventionally, when creating an operation program for a robot and controlling the operation of each robot, various techniques have been proposed for teaching to change a part of the operation program.

[0005] International Publication No. 2022-114016, International Publication No. 2020-012558

[0006] As described above, conventionally, when applying a pre-created operation program to a plurality of robots performing the same work, in each robot that executes the operation program, subtle differences occur based on the installation location and environment, or the work and specifications of the robot system. Therefore, in order to cause each robot to perform an optimal operation, it is necessary to perform correction (teaching) based on the actual installation location and environment of each robot, or the work and specifications of the robot system.

[0007] In other words, in a robot system that includes multiple robots performing similar processing on a work object, it is preferable to perform position correction for each robot individually, in addition to correction based on external information from cameras, sensors, etc. Therefore, it is sometimes desirable to apply various corrections, such as position correction and vision correction, to the movements taught in the motion program being created. Furthermore, when applying multiple corrections, it may be desirable to change the robot's movement depending on how the corrections are applied. In this case, one method is to change how the corrections are applied by specifying the order in which the corrections are applied.

[0008] Therefore, when applying a pre-created motion program to multiple robots performing the same task, there is a need for a teaching device and teaching method that can make appropriate corrections to ensure that each robot performs actions suitable for its specific needs.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a teaching device for teaching a robot to perform actions is provided, comprising: a position information storage unit for storing the robot's position information; an action command creation unit for creating action commands for the robot; and an additional parameter storage unit for storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot's action commands. The action command creation unit creates a plurality of action commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit, and adds a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit to the plurality of action commands created.

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the correction of the teaching position of a robot. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot system to which the teaching device according to this embodiment is applied. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the teaching device according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the teaching position correction screen displayed on the display unit of the teaching device shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a teaching button in the teaching device shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation program transfer processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. Figure 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the teaching device according to this embodiment. Figure 10 is a diagram showing another example of the teaching position correction screen displayed on the display unit of the teaching device shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing in another embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the support for additional commands in an embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment.

[0011] First, before detailing the embodiments of the teaching device and teaching method according to this embodiment, the correction of the robot's teaching position will be explained with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the correction of the robot's teaching position, with Figure 1(a) illustrating position correction and vision correction. Figure 1(b) shows the case where vision correction is performed according to the position after position correction, and Figure 1(c) shows the case where position correction is performed according to the vision coordinate system after vision correction.

[0012] In Figures 1(a) to 1(c), reference numeral 1 indicates the robot, 11 indicates the arm, 13' indicates the work tool, 131' indicates the tip of the work tool, and W indicates the workpiece (object to be worked on). Reference numeral C1 indicates the position coordinate system (X, Y, Z) of the robot 1 when correcting the work tool 13' (tip of the work tool 131') in real space, and C2 indicates the vision coordinate system (x, y, z) when correcting the tip of the work tool 131' in an image captured by the vision sensor (camera 5).

[0013] Figures 1(a) to 1(c) illustrate the case where two types of corrections are performed: position correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1, and vision correction in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by the camera 5. However, other various corrections, such as position correction (tool correction) in the position coordinate system (tool coordinate system) of the work tool 13', may also be included. Furthermore, Figures 1(a) to 1(c) show an example in which a work tool 13' performs a screw tightening (bolt tightening) operation on a workpiece W moving on a conveyor. However, the teaching device and teaching method according to this embodiment are not limited to screw tightening operations, but can be broadly applied to robots (robot systems) that perform various operations such as welding the workpiece W, or gripping and moving the workpiece W.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1(a), for example, position correction is performed by spatially moving the tip 131' of the work tool in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1, and vision correction is performed by moving the tip 131' of the work tool in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by the camera 5. Here, there are cases where it is desired to correct the position according to the vision coordinate system after applying vision correction, and cases where it is desired to apply vision correction to the position after position correction.

[0015] In other words, as shown in Figure 1(b), when performing vision correction according to the position after position correction, for example, based on the position coordinate system C1, the tip 131' of the work tool is moved by a correction distance PC1 in the x-axis direction of the position coordinate system C1, and then correction is performed based on the vision coordinate system C2. In contrast, as shown in Figure 1(c), when performing position correction according to the vision coordinate system after vision correction, for example, after performing correction based on the vision coordinate system C2, the tip 131' of the work tool is moved by a correction distance PC2 in the x-axis direction of the vision coordinate system C2, and then correction is performed.

[0016] Thus, even with the same combination of corrections, the robot's movement may change depending on how the corrections are applied. In this case, one way to specify how the corrections are applied is to specify the order of corrections for the movement within the robot's motion program. For example, if you specify that vision correction should be applied after position correction, the vision correction will be applied according to the position after position correction, as shown in Figure 1(b). Alternatively, if you specify that position correction should be applied after vision correction, the position correction will be applied according to the coordinate system of the vision correction after the vision correction, as shown in Figure 1(c).

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the teaching device and teaching method according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, identical or similar components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. Furthermore, the embodiments described below do not limit the technical scope of the invention and the meaning of terms as described in the claims.

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a robot system to which the teaching device according to this embodiment is applied. Here, Figure 2 shows an example of a welding robot system that performs welding (arc welding) on ​​a workpiece W, but the robot system to which the teaching device according to this embodiment is applied is not limited to a welding robot system. That is, the robot system to which the teaching device according to this embodiment is applied may be, for example, a sealing robot system that applies adhesives or sealants to a workpiece W, a painting robot system that performs painting, or various robot systems that perform gripping and moving operations on a workpiece W, or screw tightening operations as shown in Figure 1.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the robot system (welding robot system) 100 comprises a robot 1, a robot control device 2, a teaching control panel 3, a welding power supply 4, and a vision sensor (camera) 5. The robot control device 2 can be connected to a higher-level server 6 via, for example, a wired or wireless communication line. Furthermore, the robot 1 is not limited to industrial robots, but can be applied to various robots, including collaborative robots that work in cooperation with a worker (operator). In this embodiment, the teaching device is configured to include at least one of the robot control device 2 and the teaching control panel 3. When using only the robot control device 2 as the teaching device, it is preferable to provide the robot control device 2 with a display unit 20 and an operation unit, etc.

[0020] Robot 1 is configured as a multi-joint robot (for example, a 6-axis robot) mounted on a base 10. A force sensor 10a is provided on the base 10, and a wrist section 12 and a welding torch (working tool) 13 are attached to the arm section 11. Note that the welding torch 13 is merely one example of a working tool (end effector), and when the robot system 100 is applied as a sealing robot system or a screw-tightening robot system, the working tool 13 will be replaced with a sealing tool or screw-tightening tool, etc.

[0021] Here, the force sensor 10a provided on the base 10 is for detecting and controlling the external force applied by the teacher (operator OP) to the robot 1 and the reaction force (weight) applied to the teacher. However, for example, torque sensors provided on motors (not shown) that drive each axis (e.g., six axes) of the robot 1 can also be used as force sensors. That is, torque sensors provided on each axis of the robot 1 can be used not only to detect the driving torque by the motor provided on each axis, but also to detect the external force applied by the teacher to the robot 1 in each axial direction.

[0022] Furthermore, the direct teaching function used by the teacher to grasp and move the robot 1 and teach it to perform tasks on the workpiece W is not limited to the use of the force sensor 10a or torque sensor described above, but can be applied using various known direct teaching methods. Also, the operation program to which correction is performed (taught) by the teaching device according to this embodiment does not need to be created using the direct teaching function, and may be an operation program of the robot 1 created without using the direct teaching function.

[0023] The robot control device 2 controls the robot 1 to weld a predetermined location on the workpiece W with the tip 131 of the welding torch 13, for example, based on a pre-installed operation (processing) program. The welding power supply 4 controls the power supplied to the welding torch 13 based on commands from the robot control device 2. The teaching control panel 3 is connected to the robot control device 2 by wire, for example, and the teacher operates the operation unit 32 while checking the image on the display unit 31 to teach the operation of the robot 1 to which the welding torch 13 is attached, via the robot control device 2.

[0024] In Figure 2, the vision sensor 5 is, for example, installed on the ceiling 50 of the factory where the robot 1 is installed, and is capable of capturing images of the tip 131 of the welding torch 13 attached to the robot 1 and the workpiece W, so that the positional relationship between the two can be determined. However, it can also be installed near the welding torch 13. The vision sensor 5 can also be composed of, for example, a stereo camera or ToF (Time of Flight) camera capable of measuring distance, or multiple cameras installed in a location other than the ceiling 50 that can capture images from different angles. In addition, a teaching button 120, which will be described in detail later with reference to Figure 5, is attached to the wrist portion 12 of the robot 1.

[0025] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the teaching device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the teaching device (robot control device) 2 of the first embodiment according to this embodiment includes a position information storage unit 21, an operation command creation unit 22, an additional parameter storage unit 23, a parameter type selection unit 24, a parameter order selection unit 25, a sensor information storage unit 26, and an additional parameter modification unit 27.

[0026] The position information storage unit 21 stores the position information of the robot 1, and the motion command creation unit 22 creates motion commands for the robot 1. The additional parameter storage unit 23 stores multiple additional parameters for the robot 1's motion commands. Here, the motion command creation unit 22 creates multiple motion commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit 21, and also adds the multiple additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit 23 to the multiple motion commands that are created.

[0027] The parameter type selection unit 24 arbitrarily selects the type of additional parameter to be added to the operation command from among a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit 23. The parameter order selection unit 25 arbitrarily selects the order of the additional parameters to be added to the operation command from among a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit 23. Here, the additional parameters may include correction parameters that perform corrections on the operation command.

[0028] The sensor information storage unit 26 stores sensor information from the robot 1 or sensors attached to the outside of the robot 1. Here, the additional parameters correct the operation commands based on the sensor information stored in the sensor information storage unit 26. The additional parameter modification unit 27 arbitrarily changes the additional parameters attached to the operation commands.

[0029] The operation command creation unit 22 can change the additional parameters to be added to the operation command based on an external signal from among a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit 23. Furthermore, the operation command creation unit 22 can also change the order of the additional parameters to be added to the operation command based on an external signal from among the plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit 23. Here, the functions of the robot control device (teaching device) 2 described with reference to Figure 3 can be realized, for example, by executing a teaching program on the arithmetic processing unit of the robot control device 2.

[0030] In this manner, the teaching device, which includes at least one of the robot control device 2 and the teaching control panel 3, can transfer the operation program created by the operation command creation unit 22 to multiple robots 1. That is, the operation program of robot 1 created using the direct teach function, or an operation program with correction commands added for unspecified robots, can be transferred to multiple other robots, for example, via a server 6 to which the robot control device 2 is connected.

[0031] Thus, according to the first embodiment of the teaching device according to this embodiment, when applying a pre-created operation program to multiple robots performing the same task, it becomes possible to appropriately select the order of corrections (the order of additional parameters added to the operation command) and have the robot perform an operation suitable for that robot.

[0032] Figure 4 shows an example of a teaching position correction screen displayed on the display unit of the teaching device shown in Figure 3, and illustrates an example of adding three types of corrections (correction commands) as pre-added correction commands: position correction, tool correction, and vision correction. Here, position correction is a correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1, tool correction is a correction in the tool coordinate system of the work tool 13 (13') attached to the robot 1, and vision correction is a correction in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by the camera 5. Note that the display unit 20 is not limited to the one provided on the robot control device (teaching device) 2, but may be, for example, the display unit 31 of the teaching operation panel 3, or the display unit of another tablet connected to the robot control device 2.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, in an example of the correction screen displayed on the display unit 20, the correction command 1 (201) performs correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1 and is set by position correction 211, position register 212, and parameter 213 ('1'). The correction command 2 (202) performs correction in the tool system of the work tool 13 (13') and is set by tool correction 221, position register 222, and parameter 223 ('11'). The correction command 3 (203) performs correction in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by the camera 5 and is set by vision correction 231, vision register 232, and parameter 233 ('1'). Here, position correction, tool correction, and vision correction (correction command 1 to 3), as well as the parameters 213 to 233 used for these corrections, can be selected on the screen. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the corrections to be applied are not limited to position correction, tool correction, and vision correction.

[0034] Figure 5 shows an example of a teaching button in the teaching device shown in Figure 3, for example, an example of a teaching button 120 attached to the wrist portion 12 of the robot 1 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 5, the teaching button 120 includes three buttons 121 to 123 corresponding to the correction addition commands 1 to 3 described above. Here, operating button 121 selects correction addition command 1, operating button 122 selects correction addition command 2, and operating button 123 selects correction addition command 3.

[0035] In other words, in a predetermined robot 1 to which the created operation program has been transferred, the instructor (OP) can arbitrarily select the type of additional parameters to be added to the operation command, or the order in which the additional parameters to be added to the operation command are arbitrarily selected by operating the buttons 121 to 123 of the teaching button 120 attached to the wrist portion 12 of the robot 1. The instructor can also change the selection of additional parameters to be added to the operation command, or the order of the additional parameters, by operating the buttons 121 to 123 of the teaching button 120. The additional parameters may include correction parameters that perform corrections on the operation command, and these correction parameters can be obtained, for example, based on sensor information stored in the sensor information storage unit 26 mentioned above.

[0036] In the robot control device 2 shown in Figure 3, the functions of the parameter type selection unit 24, the parameter order selection unit 25, and the additional parameter modification unit 27 can be realized, for example, by the teacher OP operating each of the buttons 121 to 123 of the teaching button 120. Furthermore, in the second embodiment of the teaching device according to this embodiment, which will be described later with reference to Figure 9, the teacher OP can also change the order of operation commands (the order of additional commands added based on external signals) by operating each of the buttons 121 to 123 of the teaching button 120. Note that the teaching button 120 shown in Figure 5 is merely an example and does not necessarily need to be attached to the wrist 12 of the robot 1, nor is the number of buttons limited to three.

[0037] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. For example, it shows a case where the teaching button 120 shown in Figure 5 is operated (pressed) in the order of "121" ⇒ "122" ⇒ "123", and the correction process is performed in the order of "position correction" ⇒ "tool correction" ⇒ "vision correction". The following operation program (pre-created operation program) consists of, for example, five lines of instructions, where "L" in each line indicates a linear instruction, "P[1]" to "P[5]" indicates position data, and "1000 mm / sec" indicates the movement speed. Here, as position data "P[1]" to "P[5]", for example, position data P11 to P15 (P16) on the path that the work tool 13 (tip of the work tool 131) has passed through is input, and the operation program can be obtained.

[0038] LP[1] 1000mm / sec LP[2] 1000mm / sec ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec At this time, for example, by adding correction commands in the order of 'position correction' ⇒ 'tool correction' ⇒ 'vision correction' to an operation program consisting of LP[1] to LP[5] as described above, an operation program with correction commands added in the set order can be obtained as follows: LP[1] 1000mm / sec Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] Voffset,VR[1] LP[2] 1000mm / sec Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] Voffset,VR[1] ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] Voffset,VR[1]

[0039] Here, the corrections added to each line (LP[1] to LP[5]) of the operation program after the correction instruction has been added are set in the order of 'Offset,PR[1]' ⇒ 'Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] ' ⇒ 'Voffset,VR[1]' ('Position Correction' ⇒ 'Tool Correction' ⇒ 'Vision Correction'). In addition, the register numbers for each register, namely the register for position correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1 (for example, position register number 1) PR[1], the register for position correction in the tool coordinate system of the work tool 13 (13') (for example, position register number 11) PR

[0011] , and the register for vision correction in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by the camera 5 (for example, vision register number 1) VR[1], can be set using the correction screen shown in Figure 4, etc. Note that the register value stored in each register specified by the set register number, i.e., the correction amount, can be set for each robot executing the operation program.

[0040] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of the processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment. For example, it shows the case where the teaching button 120 shown in Figure 5 is pressed in the order of "123" ⇒ "121" ⇒ "122", and the correction processing is performed in the order of "vision correction" ⇒ "position correction" ⇒ "tool correction". Here, as position data "P[1]" to "P[5]", for example, position data P21 to P25 (P26) on the path that the work tool 13 has passed through is input, and the operation program can be obtained.

[0041] LP[1] 1000mm / sec LP[2] 1000mm / sec ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec At this time, for example, by adding correction commands in the order of 'Vision Correction' ⇒ 'Position Correction' ⇒ 'Tool Correction' to the operation program consisting of LP[1] to LP[5] as described above, the following operation program can be obtained: LP[1] 1000mm / sec Voffset,VR[1] Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] LP[2] 1000mm / sec Voffset,VR[1] Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011] ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec Voffset,VR[1] Offset,PR[1] Tool_Offset,PR

[0011]

[0042] According to one example of the processing in one embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment, for example, corrections to each line (LP[1] to LP[5]) of the operation program can be performed all at once, which can improve work efficiency. Furthermore, for example, before teaching by direct teaching, the correction commands to be added and their order are selected, and the robot 1 to which the operation program created in advance by direct teaching is applied is operated to record the position data (P11 to P16, P21 to P26) of the path that the work tool 13 has passed through. This makes it possible to generate an operation program with correction commands added in a pre-selected order based on the recorded position data. Note that this embodiment may be applied to an operation program of a robot created without using the direct teaching function. Also, as mentioned above, the teaching button 120 does not necessarily have to be attached to the wrist part 12 of the robot 1, and the number of buttons is not limited to three.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of the transfer process of an operation program in an embodiment of the teaching method according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, for example, an operation program for the teaching robot 1 (101) created using the direct teaching function, or an operation program for a predetermined robot 101 created in advance, can be transferred to a plurality of other work robots 1 to 3 (102 to 104) via a server 6 or the like to which the robot control device 2 is connected, that is, via a network.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the teaching device according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the teaching device (robot control device) 2 of the second embodiment according to the present embodiment includes a position information storage unit 21, an operation command creation unit 22, an additional parameter storage unit 23, a sensor information storage unit 26, an additional command storage unit 28, and an additional command position selection unit 29.

[0045] The position information storage unit 21 stores the position information of the robot 1, and the operation command creation unit 22 creates an operation command for the robot 1. The additional command storage unit 28 stores at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot 1. Here, the operation command creation unit 22 creates a plurality of operation commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit 21, and adds the additional commands stored in the additional command storage unit 28 to at least one of the front and back of the operation commands.

[0046] The additional parameter storage unit 23 stores additional parameters of the operation command of the robot 1, and the operation command creation unit 22 adds at least one additional parameter to the operation command. The additional command position selection unit 29 arbitrarily selects the addition position of the additional command based on an external signal. Here, the additional command includes a correction command for correcting the operation command. The sensor information storage unit 26 stores the sensor information of the robot 1 or attached to the outside. Note that the additional command includes a correction command for correcting the operation command based on the sensor information.

[0047] The operation command creation unit 22 can change the additional commands to be added based on an external signal. The operation command creation unit 22 can also change the order of the additional commands to be added based on an external signal. In the above, the teaching device including at least one of the robot control device 2 and the teaching operation panel 3 can transfer the operation program created by the operation command creation unit 22 to a plurality of robots 1.

[0048] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the correction screen of the teaching position displayed on the display unit in the teaching device shown in FIG. 9, and shows an example in the case of adding position correction, which is correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1, as a correction command to be added in advance. Note that the display unit 20 is not limited to the one provided in the robot control device (teaching device) 2, and for example, it may be the display unit 31 of the teaching operation panel 3 or the display unit of another tablet connected to the robot control device 2.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 10, in another example of the correction screen displayed on the display unit 20, the correction command 204 performs correction in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1 and is set by the position correction 241, the position register 242, and the parameter 243 ('1'). Here, the parameter 243 used for correction is selectable on the screen.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of processing in another embodiment of the teaching method according to the present embodiment. The following operation program (pre-created operation program) is composed of, for example, five lines of commands and is the same as the operation program before correction described with reference to FIG. 6. As the position data 'P[1]' to 'P[5]', the position data P31 to P35 (P36) on the path passed by the work tool 13 is input, and the operation program can be obtained.

[0051] LP[1] 1000mm / sec LP[2] 1000mm / sec ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec At this time, for example, by adding a "position correction" correction command and a correction addition command to the operation program consisting of LP[1] to LP[5] as described above, the following operation program can be obtained: Offset Condition PR[1] LP[1] 1000mm / sec Offset LP[2] 1000mm / sec Offset ... LP[5] 1000mm / sec Offset

[0052] Here, the correction command 'Offset Condition PR[1]' added to the beginning of the operation program specifies the register (for example, position register number 1) PR[1] to be used for position correction, and the correction command 'Offset' added to each line (LP[1] to LP[5]) of the operation program adds a command to all lines (LP[1] to LP[5]) that corrects by the amount of register PR[1] specified by the correction command in the position coordinate system C1 of the robot 1. The register number of the register used for position correction can be set, for example, using the correction screen shown in Figure 10. The register value stored in the register specified by the set register number, i.e., the correction amount, can be set for each robot executing the operation program. Note that position correction in the position coordinate system C1 is merely an example; for example, vision correction in the vision coordinate system C2 of the image captured by camera 5, or position correction in the tool coordinate system, etc., may also be used.

[0053] In another embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment, for example, before teaching by direct teaching, a correction method and the position register used for correction are determined, the robot 1 to which a pre-created motion program is applied by direct teaching is operated, and the position data (P31 to P36) of the path traversed by the work tool 13 is recorded. Here, additional instructions are added before or after the motion instructions. Alternatively, correction instructions (additional instructions) can be created and added based on the recorded position data.

[0054] Thus, according to other embodiments of the teaching method according to this embodiment, for example, corrections can be made to each line (LP[1] to LP[5]) of the operation program all at once, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, for example, when applying a pre-created operation program to multiple robots performing the same task, it becomes possible to apply corrections according to the register values ​​(correction amounts) set for each robot when executing the operation program.

[0055] Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the support for additional commands in an embodiment of the teaching method according to this embodiment, and explains the support for additional commands (corrective additional commands) using welding as an example. In Figure 12, for example, welding start / end commands are used to indicate the welding section as commands to be added before and after, and welding parameters (e.g., current value, voltage value, etc.) can be set as additional parameters of the operation command.

[0056] In other words, as shown in Figure 12, between the arc welding start command "2: Weld Start" on the second line and the arc welding end command "6: Weld End" on the sixth line, the operation commands "3: LP[2] 50cm / min WELD_PARAM[1]", "4: LP[3] 50cm / min WELD_PARAM[1]", and "5: LP[4] 50cm / min WELD_PARAM[1]", which set the parameters used for welding, are inserted. Here, the welding parameter (for example, welding parameter 1) WELD_PARAM[1] is stored in the robot's register, etc., and the current value and voltage value used for welding are set. This allows the welding section to be indicated by the arc welding start command and arc welding end command, and furthermore, welding parameters can be set in the operation commands. It goes without saying that Figure 12 is merely an example, and various modifications and changes are possible.

[0057] The teaching method according to the embodiment described above can be implemented as a program (teaching program) that causes a computer (arithmetic processing unit) to execute processing. This teaching program may also be provided by recording it on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium or a non-volatile semiconductor memory, and may also be provided via wired or wireless connection. Examples of computer-readable non-temporary recording media include optical discs such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) and DVD-ROMs, or hard disk drives. Examples of non-volatile semiconductor memory include PROMs (Programmable Read Only Memory) and flash memory. Distribution from the server device may be via a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), or via a WAN such as the Internet. The program (computer program) may also be provided in the form of a computer program product.

[0058] As described in detail above, according to the teaching device and teaching method of this embodiment, when applying a pre-created motion program to multiple robots performing the same task, it becomes possible to apply corrections to each robot when executing the motion program.

[0059] While this disclosure has been described in detail, it is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of this disclosure or from the spirit of this disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, these embodiments can be implemented in combination. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are given as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above.

[0060] With respect to the above embodiments and modifications, the following additional notes are disclosed. [Addendum 1] A teaching device (2, 3) for teaching an operation to a robot (1), comprising: a position information storage unit (21) for storing position information of the robot (1); an operation command creation unit (22) for creating operation commands for the robot (1); and an additional parameter storage unit (23) for storing a plurality of additional parameters for the operation commands of the robot (1), wherein the operation command creation unit (22) creates a plurality of operation commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit (21), and adds the plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23) to the plurality of operation commands created. [Addendum 2] The teaching device according to Addendum 1, further comprising a direct teach function for moving the robot (1) in accordance with the operating force applied to the robot (1), wherein the position information storage unit (21) records the operating position of the robot (1) in the direct teach. [Note 3] The teaching device according to Note 1 or Note 2, further comprising a parameter type selection unit (24) for arbitrarily selecting the type of additional parameter to be added to the operation command from a plurality of the additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23). [Note 4] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 3, further comprising a parameter order selection unit (25) for arbitrarily selecting the order of the additional parameters to be added to the operation command from a plurality of the additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23). [Note 5] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, wherein the additional parameter includes a correction parameter for performing corrections to the operation command. [Note 6] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 5, further comprising a sensor information storage unit (26) for storing sensor information of the robot (1) or a sensor attached to the outside of the robot (1), wherein the additional parameter includes a correction parameter for performing corrections to the operation command based on the sensor information.[Note 7] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 6, further comprising an additional parameter changing unit (27) for arbitrarily changing the additional parameters attached to the operation command. [Note 8] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 7, wherein the operation command creation unit (22) changes the additional parameters to be attached to the operation command based on an external signal from a plurality of the additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23). [Note 9] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 8, wherein the operation command creation unit (22) changes the order of the additional parameters to be attached to the operation command based on an external signal from a plurality of the additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23). [Note 10] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 9, wherein the teaching devices (2,3) transfer the operation program created by the operation command creation unit (22) to a plurality of robots (102 to 104). [Note 11] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 1 to 10, further comprising an additional command storage unit (28) that stores at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot (1), wherein the motion command creation unit (22) adds the additional command stored in the additional command storage unit (28) to at least one before or after the motion command. [Note 12] A teaching device (2, 3) for teaching an operation to a robot (1), comprising a position information storage unit (21) that stores position information of the robot (1), a motion command creation unit (22) that creates motion commands for the robot (1), and an additional command storage unit (28) that stores at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot (1), wherein the motion command creation unit (22) creates a plurality of motion commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit (21), and adds the additional command stored in the additional command storage unit (28) to at least one before or after the motion command.[Note 13] The teaching device according to Note 12, further comprising a direct teach function that moves the robot (1) in accordance with the operating force applied to the robot (1), wherein the position information storage unit (21) records the operating position of the robot (1) in the direct teach. [Note 14] The teaching device according to Note 12 or Note 13, further comprising an additional parameter storage unit (23) that stores additional parameters for the operation commands of the robot (1), wherein the operation command creation unit (22) adds at least one additional parameter to the operation command. [Note 15] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 14, further comprising an additional command position selection unit (29) that arbitrarily selects the additional position of the additional command based on an external signal. [Note 16] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 15, wherein the additional command includes a correction command that performs a correction on the operation command. [Note 17] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 16, further comprising a sensor information storage unit (26) for storing information of the robot (1) or externally attached sensors, wherein the additional command includes a correction command that modifies the operation command based on the sensor information. [Note 18] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 17, wherein the operation command creation unit (22) changes the additional command to be added based on an external signal. [Note 19] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 18, wherein the operation command creation unit (22) changes the order of the additional commands to be added based on an external signal. [Note 20] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 19, wherein the teaching devices (2, 3) transfer the operation program created by the operation command creation unit (22) to a plurality of robots (1). [Note 21] The teaching device according to any one of Notes 12 to 20, further comprising an additional parameter storage unit (23) for storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot's motion commands, wherein the motion command creation unit (22) adds the plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit (23) to the plurality of motion commands to be created.[Note 22] A teaching method for teaching a robot (1) to perform an action, comprising: storing position information of the robot (1); storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot (1)'s action commands; creating a plurality of action commands based on the stored position information; and adding the stored plurality of additional parameters to the created plurality of action commands. [Note 23] A teaching method for teaching a robot (1) to perform an action, comprising: storing position information of the robot (1); storing at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot (1); creating a plurality of action commands based on the position information; and adding the stored additional command to at least one of the action commands before or after.

[0061] 1 Robot 2 Robot control device (teaching device) 3 Teaching control panel (teaching device) 4 Welding power supply 5 Vision sensor (camera) 6 Server 10 Base 10a Force sensor 11 Arm section 12 Wrist section 13 Work tool (welding torch) 13' Work tool 20, 31 Display unit 21 Position information storage unit 22 Operation command creation unit 23 Additional parameter storage unit 24 Parameter type selection unit 25 Parameter order selection unit 26 Sensor information storage unit 27 Additional parameter change unit 28 Additional command storage unit 29 Additional command position selection unit 32 Operation unit 50 Ceiling 100 Robot system 120 Teaching button 121-123 Buttons 131 Torch tip 131' Tip of work tool W Workpiece (work target)

Claims

1. A teaching device for teaching a robot to perform actions, comprising: a position information storage unit for storing the robot's position information; an action command creation unit for creating action commands for the robot; and an additional parameter storage unit for storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot's action commands, wherein the action command creation unit creates a plurality of action commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit, and adds the plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit to the plurality of action commands created.

2. The teaching device according to claim 1, further comprising a direct teach function that moves the robot in accordance with the operating force applied to the robot, wherein the position information storage unit records the operating position of the robot during the direct teach.

3. The teaching device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a parameter type selection unit for arbitrarily selecting the type of additional parameter to be added to the operation command from a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit.

4. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a parameter order selection unit for arbitrarily selecting the order of additional parameters to be added to the operation command from a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit.

5. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the additional parameter includes a correction parameter for performing corrections to the operation command.

6. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a sensor information storage unit for storing information of the robot or a sensor attached to the outside of the robot, wherein the additional parameters include correction parameters for performing corrections to the operation commands based on the sensor information.

7. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an additional parameter modification unit for arbitrarily changing additional parameters attached to the operation command.

8. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the operation command creation unit changes an additional parameter to be added to the operation command based on an external signal from a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit.

9. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the operation command creation unit changes the order of additional parameters to be added to the operation command based on an external signal from a plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit.

10. The teaching device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising an additional command storage unit that stores at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot, wherein the motion command creation unit adds the additional command stored in the additional command storage unit to at least one of the positions before or after the motion command.

11. A teaching device for teaching a robot to perform actions, comprising: a position information storage unit for storing the robot's position information; an action command creation unit for creating action commands for the robot; and an additional command storage unit for storing at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot, wherein the action command creation unit creates a plurality of action commands based on the position information stored in the position information storage unit, and adds the additional command stored in the additional command storage unit to at least one of the action commands before or after.

12. The teaching device according to claim 11, further comprising an additional parameter storage unit for storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot's operation commands, wherein the operation command creation unit adds the plurality of additional parameters stored in the additional parameter storage unit to the plurality of operation commands to be created.

13. A teaching method for instructing a robot to perform an action, comprising: storing the robot's position information; storing a plurality of additional parameters for the robot's action commands; creating a plurality of action commands based on the stored position information; and adding the stored plurality of additional parameters to the plurality of action commands created.

14. A teaching method for teaching a robot to perform an action, comprising: storing the robot's position information; storing at least one arbitrary additional command for the robot; creating a plurality of action commands based on the position information; and adding the stored additional command to at least one of the positions before or after an action command.

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